Abstract
The present study compares the effects of two dietary strawberry extracts rich in monomeric (ME) or dimeric (DE) ellagitannins (ETs) on gastrointestinal, blood and tissue biomarkers in Wistar rats fed high-fructose diets. Both strawberry extracts beneficially affect the antioxidant status and lipid profile of the liver and serum. The ME extract shows a greater ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation in kidneys, more effectively decreases serum and liver triglycerides, and exerts greater anti-inflammatory effects in blood serum than the DE extract. The DE extract significantly reduces the activity of microbial enzymes in the cecum. These effects might be associated with higher cecum and urine levels of ET metabolites in rats fed with ME than in rats fed with DE. In conclusion, the diet-induced fructose-related disturbances observed in biochemical parameters are regulated by both extracts; nevertheless, the beneficial effects of the ME extract are mostly associated with systemic parameters, while those of the DE extracts are associated with local microbial activity.
Highlights
Many studies have supported the claim that a diet enriched with berries contributes to health benefits in consumers worldwide [1,2,3]
In relation to the small intestine, the relative intestinal mass with digesta, pH value of the intestinal contents, and activities of mucosal disaccharidases maltase and lactase were significantly higher in rats fed fructose diets than in those on starch diets
Concerning the present study’s hypothesis, the six-week consumption of the fructose diet with the addition of a monomeric ET-rich strawberry extract exerted more favorable modifications leading to a decreased lipid peroxidation level in some tissues, a healthier serum and liver lipid profile, and a greater anti-inflammatory effect in blood serum, in comparison to the dimeric ET-rich extract
Summary
Many studies have supported the claim that a diet enriched with berries contributes to health benefits in consumers worldwide [1,2,3]. Strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) contain imposing levels of bioactive compounds such as essential vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, dietary fiber, and polyphenols [4]. Among the latter, ellagitannins (ETs), anthocyanins, flavonols and flavanols are the major strawberry phytochemicals with antioxidant, anti-mutagenic, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties [3,5,6]. Our recent study showed that the separate mechanisms leading to decreased postprandial glycaemia upon dietary administration of strawberry ETs largely depends on their chemical structure, i.e., degree of polymerization [13].
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